New York Yankees star free agent Carlos Rodón made his long-awaited season debut tonight against the Chicago Cubs. Rodón, who signed a six-year, $162 million contract this past offseason had only made a single Spring Training start where he suffered a forearm strain which put him on the injured list to start the season before being delayed even more with a chronic back issue. 

Before finally joining the Yankees, Rodón pitched in three rehab starts, the first two with the Yankees Double-A affiliate the Somerset Patriots and the final start with the High-A affiliate the Hudson Valley Renegades. In Rodón’s first rehab start he pitched 3 innings, giving up a run on 42 pitches. In his second rehab stint, Rodón worked his way to 4 innings with no runs on 48 pitches. In Rodón’s final rehab stint he finished pitching 3.2 innings, had 8 strikeouts and threw 58 pitches. Overall over all 3 starts, Rodón would finish with a 0.88 ERA.

For his season debut Rodón would have a pitch limit of 70-75 pitches as the Yankees wanted to only let him throw an extra 15 pitches based on his third rehab start. As Rodón stepped on the mound, the Yankees faithful erupted in cheers and it only got louder when Rodón retired the first three Cubs hitters on 11 pitches. In the second inning, Rodón would get through the inning in just 5 pitches, before Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger would welcome Rodón back to the majors with a solo homerun to start the 3rd inning. Rodón would regather himself finishing the inning and getting through the 4th as well.

In the 5th and 6th inning however, Rodón would begin to start struggling with his control. In the 5th Rodón would walk Trey Mancini and Miguel Amaya before Nico Hoerner would single to right field scoring Mancini making the game 2-0. Ian Happ would start the 6th inning with a single before Rodón would throw a wild pitch that moved him to 2nd base. Yan Gomes would then ground out to second baseman Gleyber Torres, moving Happ to 3rd base as well as ending Carlos Rodón’s night. Ian Hamilton would come in to pitch, walking Christopher Morel and getting Trey Mancini to ground into a double play to end the inning, keeping Rodón to 2 earned runs.

Rodón’s final stat line was 5.1 innings pitched, 2 ER, 4 hits, 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. Unfortunately for Rodón, Jameson Taillon was on another level. Taillon, who pitched for the Yankees in 2021 and 2022, had himself a true revenge game pitching 8 innings, walking 2 and only giving up 1 hit, a Gleyber Torres single in the 1st inning. Adbert Alzolay would pitch the 9th for the Cubs where Franchy Cordero would give the Yankees their second hit of the ball game with a single to centerfield before Anthony Volpe would immediately ground into a double play. Alzolay would then strike out Gleyber Torres to end the game.

Carlos Rodón will have at least a week to rest with the All Star Break starting Monday. With that being said, the Yankees might not limit him pitch wise in his next start, but they can still take a precaution of their star pitcher.